Page 38 of All of You

“I know you’re nervous about school tomorrow, but don’t be. You’re cool. People will like you.”

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Thanks, buddy.” We fist bump and he heads back to the rest of his family.

“Good luck tomorrow,” Anna says.

James waves and Langdon doesn’t even look at me.What the actual eff? Did I do something wrong?Langdon is confusing. I thought whatever happened in the closet was hot. I thought we were getting to know each other and then he storms out and won’t even talk to me.

But dinner…the way he deliberately ran his fingers across mine to get my plate. The fire in his eyes as he did it. I don’t understand.

***

“Mom! I can’t find my skirt!” I’m frantic. Running around the camper, tossing things around haphazardly. The bus comes in forty minutes and I haven’t even showered yet.

Mom appears at the door holding my skirt. “This one?”

I snatch it from her hands and fly out the door past her toward the house. “Yup. Thanks!”

I have five minutes to kill by the time I’m showered, dressed and have all my things together. Gramps hands me a fresh blueberry muffin as I whiz past him.

“Good luck today,” he says. I smile and take a big bite of the muffin.

At the end of the driveway, Mom waits with me. I don’t even fight it, or care. Honestly, she’s basically walked me up to the door the first day of school every year and at this point, why not make it a perfect record?

The yellow bus bumps down the road.

She tucks my hair behind one ear.

“Only take part in a little gossip and make sure it doesn’t make any divots in anyone,” Mom says. “Love you, always.”

It’s the same thing she says every first day of school since I can remember. I think she means to have fun but not at other people’s expense. I don’t really know though. I just smile and get on with it the same way I always have.

The bus stops, I hop on.

Mom waves. I wave back, along with four other kids on the bus seated near me, sarcastically cooingawww.

Whatever, losers. Don’t care. Mom embarrasses me plenty but this tradition isn’t one of those times. I finish the muffin on the ride.

Stepping off the bus I take in the entrance to the school. It’s a sea of bodies undulating in little clicks and groups. Everyone knows everyone. Smiles, squeals, and laughter fill the air.Backpacks shuffle and sneakers drag on the pavement.

I inhale a deep breath and push through the throng of people. Being the new girl means thepopularsswoop in to be friends because I’m new and shiny but I reject them every time. And this school is no different. Hailie is a jerk and I have zero desire to be pulled into that crap.

Maybe Langdon and I could have been close if I had fallen in line but I shun myself to steer clear of the brainless girls who do everything for show. The one thing I can’t stand is a try-hard, a pick-me girl. There is no faster way to my bad side than a look-at-me girl and that’s exactly what Hailie and Hannah are. And that’s exactly the sort Langdon surrounds himself with.

I spent all night trying to fall asleep but the conundrum of Langdon and the excitement of thelastfirst day of school kept me up.

As I head for the doors, each of my elbows are scooped up. I glance left, then right, and find Lyra and Miles flanking me. They’re wearing matching tee shirts that readTeam D. They did this not simply to please me, but to thrust joy on me with a ridiculous surprise.

They’re watching me to see if I enjoy the surprise and I do. So much so that I undergo a little dance party inside myself. They may be brand new friends, but I love them in a massive way. I feel downright ecstatic.

“You guys are ridiculous. Does the D stand for Dick orDelia?”

“Oh my God! Miles, I told you people would think it was dicks,” Lyra squeals embarrassed.

“Again, who cares? Either way, it’s accurate for us both.” Miles’ grin stretches from ear to ear and I can’t help but laugh.

“You guys, this might be the most memorable first day of school ever. Never had Team D shirts prepared for me before.”

“Lemme see your schedule,” Lyra asks. I fish it out of my bag and hand it to her. She scours it, followed by Miles.

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